There's No Place Like Home for The Holidays
by RealtreeGal
Summary: It's Christmas in Ninjago, but with Zane still missing, the ninja have trouble finding a reason to celebrate. Zane, still in Mt. Horn, misses them greatly, and is struggling to find joy in Christmas, and nothing Hailey and Samuel do help. Can both sides make the best of the worst and come together this holiday season? (Sorry for being late XD)


**Hello all! RealtreeGal here with a ninjago christmas oneshot for you! I'm sorry if its late, I know I said I would have it out by Christmas Eve, but I have been getting held hostage in the kitchen for the past few days and that cut into my writing time a lot. But its here! I am currently working on the next chapter for Discovery of Mt. Horn, so that will be out hopefully sooner than later. I used some quotes from "Christmas Vacation" in here :) Enjoy! And Merry Christmas! **

**Plz read this I literally slaved over this since Thanksgiving and stayed up late a week in a row to get this out thank you :)**

Winter time had arrived in Mt. Horn, bringing with it chilly air, snow, and of course, Christmas. With it being only a short time away from Christmas eve, holiday festivities all over were in full swing.

The town of Elkhorn, despite its small size, was no exception. During these past few weeks, the town had become more lively than ever as people were holiday shopping, spending time with friends and family, and decorating the streets.

"Don't you love this time of year, Zane?" Hailey asked as they stepped out on her front porch, looking out at the snow-covered forest. "Winter always makes me so happy."

"Yes." He replied. "When I was living in the Birchwood Forest with my father, I always enjoyed playing in the snow, so therefore winter brings back many fond memories." Zane outstretched his palm and crystals of ice swirled around his fingers. "Also, because of the season, my elemental abilities are significantly stronger."

Hailey cocked her head as she watched his element. "Huh, that's interesting."

"Indeed." Zane said. He put his hand down. "Now remind me, what are our tasks for today?"

"Oh, right." Hailey fished out a piece of paper from the pocket of her jacket. "The chairperson of the town's event committee needs our help with decorating the town square for the Winter Festival. I also promised Mrs. Betty that we'd help her with decorating The Sugar Pine bakery for the Storefront Decoration Contest. Then after that they want us back at the festival to give out candy and treats. The horses are always a hit with the little kids, so we'll bring ours."

"Noted." Zane said. "You mentioned about decorating our horses for the occasion?"

"Yeah." Hailey said. "But I'm debating about whether we should do it now or after we're done decorating the square and bakery."

"I estimate we would have more time if we were to do it now before we headed down to assist with decorating."

"Alright then, let's get started!" Hailey said, running to the stable. "I always love turning Ranger into a Christmas pony."

…

Zane and Hailey spent the next hour getting their horses ready for the Winter Festival. After they were done grooming their mounts, Hailey had pulled out a box full of Christmas items and horse paints and brushes, where they experimented with different decorations.

Finally, the pair stepped back to see their work.

"Well," Hailey asked. "What do you think?"

Hailey had braided Ranger's mane with red, green, and silver ribbons and little red bows. She used more ribbons and a bigger bow for his tail. Hailey had also put on a red and green striped saddle blanket, and on his head was a reindeer antler head band tucked under his bridle. His forelock was tied back with another red bow. She also had put on his red and white leg wraps, and painted a candy cane on his quarter. He wore a wreath around his neck and a breast collar with sleigh bells on it. Green tinsel was wrapped around his reins.

Wanting to stick with the theme of his element, Zane had taken blue horse paint and painted snowflakes on Gale's quarters, and a smaller one around his eye. Silver tinsel was wrapped around his reins and wore a sleigh bell collar with a big red bow at the center. A small red one was on each side of his bridle.

Zane looked at both of their horses, a grin spreading across his face seeing them dressed up for the holiday, but then realized something on Gale was missing.

"Hmmm." Zane mumbled, stroking his chin thoughtfully. What was he forgetting?

"Oh, of course." He said. "How could I be so oblivious?"

Zane walked up to Gale and lightly touched his mane. Under his finger, ice crystals formed and grew until it took the shape of an intricate snowflake the size of his palm.

Hailey, who had came over to see what he was doing, watched in amazement. She gasped.

"These are so beautiful, Zane." She whispered, taking the mane with the snowflake in her hand, tracing the edges, watching as Zane did another one. "Your elemental abilities are so incredible."

"My power has done many great things, but on its own it is nothing compared to when my brothers and I use all of our elements together. As a team, we can conquer anything."

At the thought of the other ninja, Zane suddenly felt a weighting feeling of sadness at the bottom of his stomach when he remembered that he would not be spending Christmas with them this year. He didn't even know how they were doing, and they didn't know if he was even alive. This was always their favorite time of year.

Memories of previous Christmas celebrations flashed through his mind. Like the one time where he and Jay had a snowball fight and he almost buried the lightning ninja in a pile of snow. Or when Cole was becoming impatient that a special cake Zane was baking was taking too long, so he had Kai throw fire in the oven thinking it would speed it up but instead burned the cake and set the stove on fire. Or when they thought they could fit a giant tree through the door and almost took out an entire part of the wall. Zane thought back to when he taught Pixal to ice skate, and remembered the look of pure joy on her face as they both glided across the ice together, holding each other close. He thought about the many times they would sit down at the table for their Christmas dinner and simply enjoying each other's company as a family, or reminiscing and telling stories while watching winter's first snow and enjoying hot cocoa and cookies next to a fire. Decorating the tree. Wrapping presents.

Zane's eyes started to sting, and he turned his back to Hailey, reaching up to wipe a tear that began to fall.

Now that was gone. They would have to spend this Christmas wondering if he was dead instead of all of them being together. Zane knew how much it pained them to be in this situation, but it hurt him even more knowing there was no way to tell them that he was okay. It was so frustrating for him to think about their emotional distress while he was over here getting his horse ready for a winter festival.

Hailey knew what Zane was thinking. She stepped over and gave Zane a huge hug to try and cheer him up.

"Aww. Its okay, Zane." She said. "I know you miss them. But we'll get you back to Ninjago. I promise. No matter how long it takes."

Zane returned the embrace. "If I had but one Christmas wish, it would be to let my family in Ninjago know that I am alive and well…"

"I know it sucks." Hailey said. "But the important thing to remember is that you're okay and you'll get back to them. Like my grandma always told me when I was upset, everything will be okay in the end."

Zane was quiet. Hailey paused.

"Zane, I know you don't speak about your family a lot but the couple times you have I feel like I know them enough to tell you this: When it comes to you, all they want is for you to be happy, and I know that they would want you to enjoy yourself this Christmas, no matter where you are."

Zane let go. "I suppose you're right…" He said after a moment of silence.

A grin spread across her face.

"That's the spirit!" she exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. "I know exactly what ought to cheer you up."

Zane raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"Spreading Christmas cheer, of course!" She said, gently tossing a handful of snow in the air and letting it fall. "Its scientifically proven that spreading joy to others makes you happy too."

Suddenly Hailey's phone buzzed. She fished it from her pocket and looked.

"Oh jeez." She said. "We need to get down to the square!"

She untied Ranger and swung up into the saddle. "Come on, Zane!" She called to him. "It's Christmas!"

Zane untied Gale and mounted up, following her.

Hailey did make a good point. Even though he was not with the ninja this year, they would want him to be happy, regardless of his circumstances.

'_Yes.' _Zane thought as they rode along. '_She stands correct in her logic_.'

Even though he missed his Ninjago family horribly, he decided that he would be happy this Christmas he was spending in Mt. Horn. He would do it for them. It's what they would want.

And since he was here, why not take part in spreading Christmas cheer to others? That would certainly be a story to tell them when he returned back.

Zane felt a grin return to his face as the weight in his gut lifted.

"Thank you for your words, Hailey." He said to her. "I made myself a vow that I would enjoy this Christmas in Mt. Horn. I would do it for my other family as you said, it would be their wish for me to be happy, and while keeping them in my heart I will not let this sadness stop me from spreading joy to others who are in need of it this season."

Hailey smiled. "Good. That's all I want for you too."

"Last one to the town square is a stale gingerbread cookie!" Hailey called as horse and rider peeled down the hill.

Zane looked down at Gale. "Shall we?"

Gale craned his neck and seemed to give Zane a come-get-me look before bolting. Zane couldn't help but whoop with glee as he and his horse flew through the snow.

Ranger wasn't going too fast, so Gale caught up to him effortlessly. Hailey and Zane loped side by side, letting the snow crunching under and flying from their horses' hooves and the jingling of their collar bells fill them both with holiday cheer. They laughed the entire way down, Ranger and Gale also were enjoying themselves, tossing up their heads and letting out short whinnies of excitement as they dashed through the snow.

Soon they reached the town square, which was a madhouse. People all over were shoveling snow, putting up booths, decorations, sorting boxes, and a truck had just arrived with a huge tree strapped down to a trailer.

"Hey!" Hailey called. "Jill!" She waved. "Over here!"

A woman standing in the middle of it all with a clipboard turned at Hailey's voice. She smiled and waved.

"Hey Hailey!" She called as they rode up. "Oh! I see you brought your friend!"

"Yup!" Hailey said, dismounting. "He wanted to help."

"Zane, master of ice, correct?" Jill asked, holding out a hand. Zane nodded.

"Yes, that is correct." He said, offering a polite smile and accepting her gesture.

"Thank you _so _much for coming to help, I'm truly humbled." She said. "I hope it's not a burden to you."

"Nonsense." Zane replied, letting go of her hand. "I am glad I can assist you today."

"You guys came just in time, we have so much to do." Jill said. "We still have wreaths, garlands, and lights to hang, and the tree for the lighting ceremony just came in, and we need to get that in its tree stand and erected." She said, tapping her clipboard. "We also need the snow cleared so we can do the tree. Zane, if you don't mind, I'll put you on snow shovel duty. As for you Hailey, I'll have you help untangle the lights and start sorting the wreaths and garlands."

"Ten four." Hailey said. Her and Zane both walked from the square to tie their horses up before going to their spots. Hailey began helping other volunteers with the lights. Zane walked over to where people with snow shovels were clearing a path for the trailer with the tree.

Zane grabbed a snow shovel and joined them, but after almost an hour of work they had gotten barely anywhere, there was so much snow. They all sat down on the trailer, exhausted.

"We ain't gettin' nowhere." One of them huffed, shoving his shovel down in frustration. "An entire hour of shovelin' and we didn't even make a dent…"

A lightbulb went off in Zane's head.

"Perhaps I have a better idea." He said. The others watched in confusion as the nindroid stood up and walked over to the area they had been shoveling. They became shocked as Zane summoned his powers and blew the snow away. What would have been two hours worth of work was done in a matter of seconds. The people cheered.

"Hell yeah!" One of the men said. "Nice work, man!" He slapped Zane on the shoulder.

Zane slipped on the slick ground and fell it caught him off guard, but was immediately helped back up by the guy and the rest of the snow shovel group.

"Thank you." He said, smiling sheepishly as the others praised him for his work. "I hope my abilities don't frighten you."

They all looked at each other and shook their heads.

"No," a woman said. "You never hurt anyone with your power and you just helped us a huge deal. We're thankful to have you here!"

With the snow taken care of, Zane went over to see what Hailey was doing. She was helping some others wrap garlands and bows around the light posts.

"Oh hey Zane." She said when she saw him. "How goes it?"

"I used my powers to clear the snow as we were not making any progress doing so by hand."

Hailey looked at him. "Was anyone afraid?"

"No, they actually seemed rather pleased." Zane said. "Do you need help with the bows?"

"Sure!" She said. "There's only a few left, but hey, whatever makes it quicker."

They finished hanging up the bows just as Jill came running over.

"Hey Hailey, we're going to start putting up the tree, do you and Zane mind helping?"

"Of course not." Zane said.

"It's why we're here!" Hailey added.

Jill led them over to the flatbed where the tree was strapped, a thirty foot noble fir. One of the men there guided the trailer back to the center of the square, where Hailey helped undo the straps and the trailer from the truck. Her, Zane, and several others lifted the stand from the truck bed and carried over to the tree. It was very heavy since it was being used for an equally huge tree, but with Zane's strength they were able to move it. With a team effort, they got the ginormous stand twisted and screwed into the stump. Now came the hard part: raising the tree.

To do this, the group of volunteers wrapped chains around the trunk. Using a cherry picker to pull the chain to raise the top and people down below to lift the bottom and hold the stand to keep it from sliding, they would pull the chains to get it up, as well as other pushing the tree from the other side.

On three, everybody grabbed a chain and pulled and pushed as hard as they could, lifting the tree from the ground. It was almost up when-

SNAP!

Suddenly a chain broke. One of the people fell to the ground, and the others cried in surprise as they began to be pulled as the tree fell backwards.

"OH NO!" Hailey yelled as she slipped. "LOOK OUT!"

Zane pulled as hard as he could, but he was no match for the falling tree. With a jolt of horror, he saw a man right in its path, the same who he first saw after using his powers.

"MOVE!" Zane cried, rushing forward. He pushed the man out of the way, shooting a beam of ice from his hand and braced himself. It formed a thick barrier of ice over him just as the tree came down on it with a CRASH!

Zane looked up. His ice had protected him from the falling tree. He breathed a sigh of relief before rushing over to the man he had saved.

"Are you okay?" Zane asked as he helped him up-

The men embraced him. "Holy shit, you just saved my life…" he gave Zane a genuine look of gratitude. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I could have died."

Zane smiled. "There is no need to thank me. It's my job. I was built to protect those who cannot protect themselves."

"The name's Jerry. It's a pleasure to work with you." The man extended a hand.

"Zane." He said, returning the gesture, Jerry giving him a firm handshake.

"It's a privilege to know you, sir." Jerry said.

"As for you."

"ZANE! JERRY!" Someone called.

The two turned and saw a few people running towards them, Hailey included.

"Holy crap, are you guys okay?!" Hailey asked, out of breath. She grabbed Zane and looked him over. "Did you get squashed!?"

"No. Me and my friend Jerry here are both out of harm's way."

After making sure everyone else was okay, they gathered around the fallen tree. Luckily it hadn't been broken from the fall, but they were now apprehensive about using the chain method and had no other way to raise the tree.

"Maybe we can just push it?" Someone suggested.

"No." Jill said. "This tree is at least three hundred pounds, and I don't want anyone's safety on the line."

A few more ideas were thrown out, but after a long time they still hadn't figured out a way.

Zane looked at the tree, thinking about any possible solutions. Then another idea popped into his head, but he was reluctant at first. He already used his powers twice. Should he use it another? He didn't want to draw any negative attention to himself that could jeopardize his return to Ninjago.

But then he looked at those surrounding him, frustrated and worried looks on their faces.

It had been in Mt. Horn for a long time now, and had come to learn that these were honest, trustworthy people. They understood his situation and he would never think they would give him away. If he asked to keep his powers and presence a secret, then they would.

These people had given him so much. Using what he had to help them was the least he could do. After all, the best way to get into the Christmas spirit was to spread it, right?

"Stand back, please." Zane said. He called on his power. "I have an idea."

It had been such a long time, he had no idea if it would work. But it was worth a try.

They watched as a bright light formed between his hands, turning away as it got too bright to look at.

There was a flash of light followed by a roar. When they opened their eyes, they watched in awe when they saw Zane on the titanium dragon, who was hovering in the sky. Zane had a huge smile on his face.

"Still got it, huh?" Hailey called to him, happy that he hadn't lost his elemental capabilities.

"Yes!" Zane responded. His dragon swooped down and wrapped its talons around the trunk of the tree.

"I will need someone to guide me as we raise the tree." Zane said.

"I've got you." Hailey said.

With a mighty flap of its wings, the dragon lifted the tree, the others watching cheering him on.

"Keep going back!" Hailey shouted as she gestured to her right.

Zane pulled back on his dragon's reins, making it raise the tree up higher.

"You're almost there!" Hailey said. "Just a little more!"

Another tug of the reins, and the tree was straight, earning another cheer from the crowd

"Okay, you're good!" She called. "Hold it!"

Several people came forward with hammers and metal rods, driving the rods into the trunk to steady the tree.

"Okay, you can come down now Zane!" Hailey said to him once they were done.

He came down and hopped off his dragon's back, making it disappear.

"That was awesome!" Jill said, walking up to him. "How do you do it?"

"It's my energy dragon." Zane explained. "After I got over my fears, I was able to summon it. But if I am feeling fearful or troubled, I am unable to summon it or it disappears."

"Zane, I know I've said this before, but I can't thank you enough for helping us tonight. You've already done so much for us." She gestured to the volunteers behind her. "We don't know where we would be without you." They nodded with silent agreement.

Zane smiled. "It's a pleasure. Thank you for being so kind, even though I am clearly different from you."

"I mean, we have no reason not to." Jill said. She looked at her clipboard. "Alright! Who's ready to hang up some Christmas lights?"

"Hey Zane!" Hailey said, running up with a long strand of lights. She twirled them above her head like a lasso. "Go long!"

Zane grinned as he summoned his dragon. Hailey tossed the string of lights. Zane caught it, and on the dragon's back they flew around and around the tree, stringing the lights as they went.

When they were done, Zane looked down from his dragon to the crowd below. Hailey pumped a fist.

"Let's decorate this bad boy!" She whooped.

The volunteers spent the next couple hours hanging up ornaments and garlands on the tree, with the help of Zane and his dragon, who reached the highest branches. Hailey decided to make a game of it, she would toss the ornament up into the air before Zane swooped by to catch it.

Soon the ornaments were done, and there was one thing left to put on the tree: the star. It was a large silver four pointed one.

Hailey held the star above her head. "Are you ready, Zane?"

"On your word!" He replied.

"You better not drop it!"

"I will not!"

"Here she comes!"

With a great heave, Hailey tossed the star high above her head. Zane swung the reins and together him and his dragon dove forward. Zane laned out of the saddle, catching the star on the fly. At the top of the tree, he crept along it's neck and head, sitting on its snout as he placed the star on the top and plugged it into the string of lights. He gave Hailey a thumbs up.

"It all looks amazing!" Jill exclaimed when Zane dismounted his dragon. "I can't wait to see it all lit up!"

"You are most welcome." Zane said. "What else is there?"

Jill looked at her clipboard. "Um, nothing much besides putting up panels around the tree and helping set up the area that our Santa will be for the kids. As a matter of fact, you and Hailey are free to go as of right now. You've saved so much trouble for the rest of us, you guys really deserve a break. Just be back later tonight so you can hand out treats to the kids, okay?"

"Okay." Hailey said. "See you later, Jill."

"See you later!" Jill said to the pair as they walked away. "And thank you!"

"We are heading to the bakery next, correct?"

"Yup." Hailey said. "Every year they have the storefront decoration contest. Its where the owners of the stores and people helping them paint the windows and decorate the front. Then after the lighting ceremony people vote on which one they like and the winner gets a ribbon and bragging rights. Mrs. Betty asked if we could help this year." They crossed the street. "I want to win a blue ribbon for her, she never has."

"I see." Zane said. "I would be more than happy to help."

They walked up the steps onto the porch of the Sugar Pine Bakery. A bell rang as they entered, making a short elderly lady with glasses and grey hair wearing a red knitted sweater and jeans look up from behind the counter.

"Oh, hello dear." She said, walking up to greet them. She gave Hailey a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, thanks. You?"

"Oh, I have been so busy these past few days. People are buying my cookies faster than I can make them, and I'm still trying to find a few things for Christmas." Her gaze shifted to Zane.

"Oh my, aren't you shiny!" She exclaimed.

"Um...thank you?" the nindroid replied uncertainly, partially because he was unsure if it was meant as a compliment and also why she didn't make it sound like a big deal.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" The woman asked, taking his hand in both of hers.

"My name is Zane. And you are?"

"Mrs. Betty, but please, feel free to call me Jane." Jane said. "Zane, huh? You don't hear that name around here often. By the way, may I say what amazing work you did at the square!"

"Thank you, Jane." He responded with a smile. "I'm happy I'm able to make a difference this holiday season."

Jane chuckled. "That's what Christmas is all about, honey."

"Speaking of Christmas," Hailey said. "Do you have any ideas in mind for how you want us to decorate?"

"Oh no, you two can decide to do it however you want to." Jane replied. "You're the artsy one, not me." She laughed. "I can't draw to save my life!"

"When is the lighting ceremony?" Zane asked.

"Eight." Hailey answered.

"I advise we start decorating the store then, so we can have ample time and still make it back to the square by seven."

"I better not keep you two any longer." Jane said. "I don't think you'd want to be rushed. And I'll have a special treat for you two when you're done!"

They followed Jane through the door behind the counter and into the storage room. Hailey and Zane carried out two big boxes of Christmas decorations.

"Let's see what we have here…" Hailey muttered, taking things out of the box.

"Garlands, lights, ornaments, bows, we can work with this." Zane said.

"We also have window paints." Hailey said, taking those from the box too. She produced a pen from her pocket, silently doodling on a piece of paper.

"I was thinking of something like this for the windows." She said after a minute. She handed it to Zane, who took a look.

"I like it." He said. "Together, we can make this very worthy of a blue ribbon."

"Well we better get started."

"I can handle the decorations, perhaps you can do the windows?"

Hailey nodded in agreement before the both of them headed outside.

…

"How are you doing?" Zane asked.

"Almost done." Hailey muttered. "I just need to put the final touches on here…"

"You did an excellent job, Hailey." Zane said, looking at her handiwork. "We definitely stand a fighting chance."

While Zane had been hanging up the decorations, Hailey was painting the windows. She had done a winter scene with a cabin, horses in a pasture, an old tractor and Christmas tree all covered in snow, with the words "MERRY CHRISTMAS" painted in red.

Just then, Jane came out. She saw her store decorated and gasped.

"Oh my soul!" She said, a smile on her face. "You two did a wonderful job!" She hugged them both. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Hailey and Zane both replied and returning her hug.

"Now come in, you two. You must be freezing!"

Walking back inside the bakery, Jane gestured to a table, where they saw a plate of cookies and two mugs of hot chocolate just for them.

"For a job well done." She said.

"Chocolate chip? Yes please!"

Hailey and Zane said their thanks and sat down. It was just what they needed after a long day in the snow. Zane let the smell of fresh baked goods fill his lungs and the warmth of the hot chocolate warm his hands.

Zane helped himself to a cookie and watched as Hailey took one of hers and dunked in her hot chocolate.

"My brother Jay often does that too." Zane said as Hailey took a bite.

_Jay…_

_My brothers…_

_Home… _

The feeling of sadness was like a punch to the gut.

Zane sighed. It killed him to be away like this during this time of year. Of course he would never want to be separated from them at any given time, but this was the worst, especially since they always celebrated together as a family. This would be the first year he would not be there for Christmas, and he had no idea how to tell if this would also be his last.

The one thing he never liked to see is anyone in his family in grief. He was built to protect, and it frustrated him that in those times he couldn't do much to fix their problems. Grief was the one thing he couldn't protect anyone from.

He had heard of how the ninja went their separate ways after his sacrifice to defeat the Overlord. His absence tore them apart. His absence caused them all grief. And now he was gone again. How were they doing without him? The idea that he was the reason they felt pain made him feel guilty in a way he had never felt before.

Hailey looked at him with a worried expression. She didn't need to ask for him to know what she was thinking. Zane swallowed thickly and looked down at his feet.

Soon it was time to head back to the square. Hailey got up.

"Zane, we should go." She said softly. "We don't want to be late."

Zane nodded solemnly and got up. Jane came up and hugged them both.

"Thank you again for all your hard work." She said. "I can't wait to see how it all goes down."

"Of course! Thanks for the cookies!" Hailey replied.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Zane said, mustering a weak smile.

"Of course, darling." Jane said, rubbing his shoulder. "You deserve it."

As they turned to leave, Hailey cast a sideways look at Zane. He still looked glum.

She sighed and wrapped an arm around the nindroid's drooping shoulders in a silent effort to console him.

They walked and untied their horses and rode to the square.

"Hey! Glad to see you're back!" Jill said as they rode up. "You ready to give out some treats?"

"Ready as we'll ever be."

"Okay. You and Zane will be over there with your horses." Jill pointed to an area nearby where the kids could get their picture with Santa. "One candy cane for each kid."

They walked their horses over to where Jill had gestured to. There were two big bags full of candy canes which they tied to their saddles.

Zane came to figure out that Hailey was right about the kids loving the horses. Many ran up to them, asking to pet them, feed them treats, and take pictures with them. Zane did his best to smile, but he just could not make himself feel better.

"It's always great to see kids so happy around the holidays." Hailey said, licking a candy cane while watching a group of kids run by, laughing and pelting each other with snowballs. "Isn't it?"

Zane heaved a sigh. "Yes." He said.

Hailey turned to him. "Zane, are you okay?"

"I suppose."

There was a sigh.

"You made yourself a promise, remember?"

Zane's shoulders sagged. "Yes. But I just can't seem to rid myself of that feeling…"

Hailey made a move to comfort the ice ninja, but stopped when a little boy in jacket and scarf walked up to them.

"Excuse me, mister?"

"Yes?" Zane asked. "How can I help you?" He kneeled down and did his best to smile.

"May I please feed your horsey?" The little boy asked, who had to be no older than seven.

"Absolutely. Gale loves children that give him treats." Zane reached into his pocket and gave the child a horse treat, who fed it to Gale.

The child giggled as the horse's velvety lips brushed against his hand. "It tickles!" He petted it's grey nose. "And so soft."

"Gale is a very soft horse." Zane said. "Would you like to give him another?"

With eyes that lit up like a Christmas tree, the boy nodded eagerly. Zane handed him the treat, who again laughed when Gale took it.

"Uh, mister…" He said again when he was done. He became a little shy.

"Yes?" Zane asked.

The child looked away timidly for a moment. Then he looked at Zane again.

"I saw you earlier today with the tree…"

"Oh really?" Zane said, grinning. The boy nodded.

"I know we wouldn't have Christmas here without you." He reached into his pocket. "I made this for you…."

In his hand, the boy had a rumpled piece of paper shaped in a snowflake, and in the center of it showed the best Zane a seven year old could draw, holding up a tree that was falling over.

Zane took the paper, feeling a hint of a genuine smile touch his face. He looked at the little boy.

"What is your name?"

"Connor…"

"Thank you, Connor. I love it and I will keep it always." He folded it up and tucked into the breast pocket of his shirt. "See? So it will always be with me."

Suddenly Connor walked up and hugged Zane. "Thank you for saving my Christmas."

"Of course." Zane said, returning the hug. "I would do it any day."

"Connor!" A voice called. "Where are you? It's time to go!"

The little boy got up. "I have to go."

"Okay, Connor." Zane said, standing up. "Thank you so much for the gift."

Connor smiled at Zane before running to join his parents.

"Cute kid." Hailey said with a smile.

Zane nodded in agreement, feeling a little more happy.

"_I guess what Hailey said was true." _Zane thought. "_Spreading Christmas cheer makes you joyful in return_."

But just as quickly, that flicker of happiness left. Zane sighed.

"_I hope my family is joyful this holiday season…." _

…

The rest of the evening passed by in a blur, and Zane could not stop dwelling on the horrible feeling he had when he thought of his brothers, Nya, Pixal, and Sensei Wu. He tried his best to take in the cheerful energy the rest of the night entailed. The tree lighting ceremony was beautiful, gleaming with multi colored lights, colorful bulbs, and the bright star. He and Hailey high fived when Jane's store was voted as the best decorated and won the blue ribbon. They had finished through both bags of candy canes and all the horse treats by the end of the night. Afterwards Hailey had bought them both deep fried Oreos from one of the booths.

But no matter how hard he tried, his longing to be with them or at least reassure them that he was alive and well always got the best of him.

The ride home was a quiet one. Zane was deep in thought and Hailey was trying to come up with something to talk about.

"So Zane…" She began. "What...um… do you want for Christmas?"

Zane sighed. "I don't know…"

"Um...maybe some shirts?"

"No…"

"Pants?"

"No."

"Boots?"

"No…"

"Maybe a set of spurs? I forgot to get some when we-"

"Hailey, I appreciate the kind gesture, but I am truly indecisive."

"Actually no, I am not indecisive, it's just the only thing I wish for is unattainable…"

Hailey sighed, and they rode in silence.

"Oh look." She said as they went up the hill. "Uncle Sam put lights on the house while we were gone."

Sure enough, the cabin was decorated with multi colored lights and a deer with a wreath around its neck. Samuel was up on a ladder, stapling the last strand of lights to the roof. He smiled and waved as they approached.

"How did it go?" He asked from above.

"Great!" Hailey said, dismounting. She told him about Zane saving Jerry's life and helping with the tree and winning the contest for Jane. "You did the lights?"

"Yep!" Samuel said. He climbed down the ladder. "Figured I'd surprise the both of you while y'all were gone."

He walked up and put his arms around Zane's and Hailey's shoulder's. "Doesn't it look great?" He asked as the trio looked at the lights.

"It looks awesome." Hailey said. She glanced to the side.

"Zane? What do you think about the lights?" She asked.

Zane looked at Samuel's handiwork.

"_Jay and I always hang lights in the Bounty…" _He thought.

"Zane?"

"T-they look great." Zane said, forcing a small grin to downplay the way his voice broke as he thought about his family.

Him and Hailey went to untack, clean up, and feed their horses. The warmth of a roaring fire in the hearth and the smell of beef stew welcomed them as they came inside. They each helped themselves to a heaping bowl, sitting around the fire. Hailey was telling Samuel more about their day. Other than a few words here and there, Zane was mostly silent as he watched the flames dance around the logs, guiltily reminded about Kai and how every year he almost set the Bounty on fire because he liked to shoot his element into the fireplace instead of using a match.

"It's been a long day, and my energy levels are becoming low, so I must rest." Zane said after he finished with his stew. "Goodnight you two, I will see you in the morning."

"Uh-okay." Samuel said. "Goodnight Zane."

Zane walked to his room, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against the door and stared up at the ceiling. He sighed. He was trying so hard to enjoy Christmas in Mt. Horn, but it just wasn't the same without _them_. While doing things with Hailey was fun, and it was great to do the things he did today, it didn't feel right. Maybe because this was one other way he had to adjust to life here, but he didn't like the feeling he had.

Since they first came together as a team, they had always been with one another on the holidays, and they had never spent one without each other. Until now.

Zane wondered for what seemed like the hundredth time how they were doing. It pained him greatly that he did not have a way to be with them or even at least tell them he was okay. It seemed like there was a world separating him and them.

He let himself sit on the floor. These people welcomed him, but they didn't know him. Not like Hailey or Samuel did anyway. He was thankful that he had them to spend the holidays with, but it just wasn't the same. They had been so nice and so giving, but even they couldn't fill this empty feeling in his heart. What was missing was family. _His_ family. The memories and traditions they shared. The feeling when nothing else matters but being together.

And this year, they weren't. Because he wasn't there.

Zane buried his face in his hands as his throat tightened. He missed his family. He missed Ninjago.

This was the first year he wasn't there. Would it be his last?

He hoped so. He just wanted to go home.

There was no place like home. Especially for the holidays.

Silent tears rolled down his face.

"I miss you…"

…

Samuel watched as Zane walked to his room. Something was wrong with him. He could tell by the way he walked, the way his shoulders sagged.

As soon as he heard the door click shut, he turned to Hailey.

"Hey," he whispered. "What's up with Zane? Is he okay?"

"No. He's been feeling down all evening."

"What's wrong?"

"He misses Ninjago."

Samuel sighed and rubbed his face. "Yeah, I figured. Poor bastard, I was afraid this was going to happen."

"What do we do? I hate seeing him like this…"

"…I don't know."

"I know we want to keep this hush hush, but…"

"But what?"

"I was thinking we should include Zane more."

"Like how?"

"Well," Hailey began. "You know, like Christmas things, Uncle Sam. He misses his family. So-"

"Make him a part of ours." Samuel finished. Hailey nodded.

"You don't consider Zane family?"

Hailey looked startled by the question.

"Um, it's kinda complicated." She said. "I mean, he's been with us for awhile and we've grown closer, so yeah. But he's been in the dark with the rest of our relatives, so in that aspect no. It's kinda fifty fifty. Plus, I don't know how he sees us..."

"I see…" Samuel said. He placed a hand on Hailey's shoulder.

"I say we give him the best Christmas we can." He said, a smile on his face. "Regardless of how he sees us. Zane is a great person. I want him to be a part of our family."

…

Over the course of the Christmas season, Hailey and Samuel did their best to cheer Zane up and make him feel included in holiday festivities.

There was the search for the perfect Christmas tree.

On a clear frigid day Zane, Hailey, and Samuel all piled into the Dodge pickup and drove some miles out of town.

"We're kicking off our fun, old-fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols." Samuel declared as they drove down the icy road.

Soon they pulled over in a turn off and got out, beginning to hike through the snowy forest in search of the right tree.

"I think we should get this one." Hailey said, pointing to a tall narrow tree.

"Too tall. Besides, this one is fuller." Samuel said, gesturing to another.

"Too full."

"Is not!"

"Okay, you know what, how about this: Zane, which one do you like?"

Zane looked around the clearing for a minute before walking through another stand of trees. Hailey and Samuel followed.

"How about this one?" Zane asked as they caught up.

It was a medium sized tree, about ten feet tall, moderately fluffy. It stood alone on the hillside's clearing. Hailey and Samuel nodded in approval.

"Awesome choice, Zane." Samuel said. He clapped Zane on the back. "Great job."

"It's going to look awesome in the living room!" Hailey said. She walked over and looked at Samuel, when suddenly a confused expression passed over her face.

"Hey Uncle Sam, didn't you bring a saw?"

Samuel looked at the tree before facepalming.

To make a long story short, they made it work, even though they earned looks as they came back into town with the tree, roots and all.

…

There were the Christmas cards.

"Greetings Hailey. What are you doing?" Zane asked as he saw Hailey with a piece of paper and a pen, who was thinking and scribbling names.

"Oh me? I'm addressing Christmas cards." She said.

"Who are you sending them to?"

"_We_ are sending them to most of my family and a couple family friends." Hailey answered. "Do you want to see them?"

"Of course. I would love to."

Hailey handed him an envelope. He pulled out the card. It was red, which said "MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE RANGSTON FAMILY" in big white letters. There were a handful of pictures on the card. One showed Hailey and Samuel posing with their kills on a winter's elk hunt. Another showed Ranger, Gunsmoke, and Gale drinking from the water trough together.

Zane was surprised to see himself on the card as well. There was the picture with himself and Hailey with their horses when they volunteered. There was another from their Christmas tree adventure, which showed her and Zane smiling as they loaded the tree on the truck and Samuel giving a thumbs up. Another when he was hugging Connor.

But what shocked Zane the most was what was at the bottom of the card. It read "Hailey, Samuel, & Zane".

"Hailey," Zane began. "I wasn't expecting myself to be on your Christmas card, not picture, and even less so my name."

"Why not?"

"Well…" He began. "I did not think you saw me as…"

"Family?"

Zane nodded. Hailey grinned.

"Funny thing, I was thinking you saw us the same way. But innuendos aside Zane, you're one of the best people I ever knew. You may be a nindroid, but have more humanity than a lot of people do. Everybody should strive to be like you. To be honest, I view you as family."

With these words, Zane smiled a smile of genuine happiness, a feeling he hadn't felt in quite awhile.

"Thank you, Hailey." He said, hugging her. "That means a lot to me."

…

Decorating the tree and home was another.

"See, I told you it would we could fit it in." Samuel told Hailey and Zane as he stood back to look over his work of getting the tree into the stand. "A lot of sap in here! Looks great. A little full. A lot of sap."

They got the decorations out of the attic, and Zane and Hailey set about untangling the lights while Samuel put the star on the tree and checked all of the Christmas ornaments.

"I hate this…." Hailey mumbled.

"Hey guys, we're missing a green ornament with a gold stripe so keep an eye out for it." Samuel said.

"I'll be right back." Hailey said.

Zane looked and saw that the ornament that was MIA. It was attached to his strand of lights he was untangling.

He tried to pull it off, but it wouldn't budge.

"Come on…"

He tried again, he pulled so hard he tripped over a strand of lights.

"Ah!"

Hailey came back in only to find Zane tangled up in lights.

"A little help here?" Zane asked with an awkward smile.

Hailey face palmed.

"I leave you alone with lights for _thirty seconds_…" She said.

"I think I have a solution…" Zane said, attempting to use his Spinjitzu to get out.

Which left him even more tangled than before.

"Oh no!" he cried. "I can't get out!"

Hailey busted out laughing.

"Zane no! Oh my god!" She said. "I'll help you!"

Hailey tried to untangle Zane, but to no avail.

"Uh-EMERGENCY!" Hailey called over her shoulder to the living room. "EMERGENCY!"

"You know what?" Hailey pulled out her pocket knife. "I'm just going to cut you out."

"Hailey, I sense that is not a good idea…" Zane said as she grabbed a loop of lights near his arm.

She flipped open the blade right as Samuel came into the hall.

"What is go-" he began as he saw Zane, but stopped when he saw Hailey. His eyes went wide.

"HAILEY NO!" him and Zane both yelled at the same time. But it was too late.

_**BZZZZZZZZT!**_

Hailey and Zane fell backwards. Zane was sparking. Hailey's hair was standing on end.

"Hallelujah! Holy shit!" She got up off the floor. "Where's the tylenol?"

Samuel helped Zane get untangled. "Are you okay!?"

Zane got up. "I'm fine." He said. "Shall we finish decorating?"

"Sorry about all that eariler." Hailey said as the three of them took ornaments out of boxes. The stockings and christmas cards had been hung, garlands on the mantle and stair rail, tableclothes and centerpieces out, and the lights were on the tree. The ornaments were all that was left.

"It's okay, Hailey." Zane said, gently placing an ornament on the branch. "You were only trying to help."

…

Too soon, it was Christmas eve. A fire blazed in the fireplace. Gifts had been wrapped, the tree glimmered like a jewel in the living room. Christmas music played on the TV as Zane and the others cleaned the house and prepared for the next day. Zane had learned that they would be hosting the Rangston's Christmas dinner. They received a pleasant surprise when a group of carolers came to the door to sing Christmas songs.

After cleaning, Hailey and Samuel went to the kitchen. Zane joined them.

"Ever had pecan pie?" Hailey asked him as she pressed a pie crust into a pie dish.

"Pecan pie?" Zane asked. "What's that?"

"You've never had pecan pie?"

Zane shook his head. Hailey grinned.

"Oh, you're in for a treat then. Its a traditional Mt. Horn dessert." Hailey mixed pecans and corn syrup together in a bowl. "This is my great grandma's recipe. You'll love it."

"Hey Uncle Sam, who's coming over again?"

"Your mother, stepfather, Grandma Dixie and Grandpa Steven, Aunt Jenny, Uncle Ed, great aunt Beth, great uncle Landon, great grandpa Clemens," He gave Hailey a look as he seasoned the prime rib. "Your second Uncle Jeff…"

Hailey groaned and covered her face. "Oh no, not uncle jeff…"

'Yep…"

"He's such a jerk! And all he does is get tanked! Why do we still invite him?!"

"Its the holidays. And all of their kids are coming too."

"Just keep Jeff away from the eggnog. _Far away_."

Zane watched them work, and felt bad since he wasn't doing anything. It sounded like there would be lots of people, and Zane knew from experience that more people meant more mayhem, especially if there are little kids involved.

"How old are these kids? Perhaps I can bake some sugar cookies for them to decorate." Zane said.

"The youngest is seven, eldest is twelve." Hailey said, putting the pecan pie in the oven.

Zane got some cookie dough from the fridge. He sprinkled flour on the counter before rolling the dough and cutting shapes with cookie cutters, and then placed them in the oven.

He pulled them back out, smiling as he saw they were baked to perfection. Not too doughy, Not too crisp. Just right. The little ones would love decorating these.

"_So would my brothers…_" He thought sadly.

Zane sighed. His sugar cookies were always a hit back at the Bounty. The ninja looked forward to them every year.

Later on that night, they all had hot chocolate while watching Christmas movies.

After awhile, Zane got up to go to sleep. He was still feeling down. He was glad that Hailey and Samuel had included him in their festivities, but none of it fixed the aching feeling he still had in his heart. He still just wanted to go home.

"Hey Zane."

Zane turned around to see Hailey.

"Oh, hello Hailey, I did not see you." He said.

"How are you feeling?" Hailey asked.

He wanted to say that he was fine, as he didn't want them to think he didn't appreciate what they've done for him. But he wasn't one for lying.

"I thank you for everything Samuel and you have done for me, but I still do not feel like myself."

"I can tell." She placed a hand on Zane's shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Zane sighed. "I suppose."

"My brothers in Ninjago, I am very close to them. We have been together for a very long time, and during that time we have been through alot. We have always fought side by side in the face of some of the darkest enemies to threaten Ninjago. They may have not fully understood me, but they never failed to accept me for who I am. They are truly the best friends I could ever ask for."

"They sound great."

"They are. I am greatly worried for them. Last time I was absent from the team for a long time, they went their separate ways. It broke them apart. I am afraid it will happen again, I do not like seeing them like that. I want them to be happy. And the holidays are when we can get together and take time to enjoy one another as family, so I often think about them and how they are doing without me."

"Zane, like I said when we went to go volunteer, they want you to be happy wherever you are."

"I wish them the same." He said. "I wonder what they are doing right now…"

…

The full moon shone brightly in the winter sky, its light beaming across the snow, and pouring onto the floor of the Bounty, where the ninja sat around a fire they had lit to stay warm. It was Christmas eve, but they were anything but in the christmas spirit. Usually the ship was decked out in lights, but this year she was dark.

The ninja sat around the fire in silence, staring at the flames, which offered the only source of light in the ship.

Zane's absence was taking it's toll on the team, but especially these past couple weeks. The holidays was Zane's favorite time of year, and they could not do anything Christmas without being reminded of him and even more so the fact that he was missing. Celebrating the holidays with this in mind just made it feel so wrong. Why should they be happy if he was gone and possibly dead?

So they withdrew themselves from Christmas to spare the pain.

Jay broke the silence.

"Well?"

The rest of the ninja looked at him.

"Well what?" Cole said.

"Is this what we're going to do all Christmas? Stare at a fire? Don't you think we can do better?"

"Jay, we aren't in the mood…" Kai grumbled.

"Zane's gone." Lloyd muttered. "It hurts if we tried…"

"Guys, I know it hurts because Zane's not here, but look at us!" Jay said, standing up. "We're all sad, and its _Christmas eve_! This is no time to be moping around!"

"What do you want us to do then? Celebrate Christmas?" Kai asked sarcastically.

"Yep." Jay answered. "But...differently."

"What do you mean?" Nya questioned.

"Okay, we all know Zane loves Christmas. And he loves us, obviously. He wants us to be happy. Do you guys understand how crushed he would be to see us like this, especially now of all times?"

The other ninja looked at each other in silent agreement."

"I guess you're right…"

"See? And we wouldn't want to disappoint him, would we?

"No…"

"_Exactly_! Just because Zane isn't with us doesn't mean we can't celebrate. I mean, he's not here, but he's always with us! If the holidays remind us of him, we can make it feel like he's here!"

As Jay's words sunk in, they perked up.

"Hey, Jay actually has a good point for once." Cole said. He got up and walked out.

"HEY!"

"But what do you mean by 'Celebrate differently'?" Nya asked. "You didn't specify."

"What I mean is celebrate Christmas, of course, but more like celebrating for Zane, too."

"That's...actually not a bad idea…" Lloyd said.

"It's not. I actually like it…" Kai agreed.

There was a loud rustling as the ninja turned their heads to the door, only to be shocked as Cole walked in carrying a tree.

"Um Cole, where did you get that?" Jay asked.

"Outside."

"And where are you putting it?"

"Right here." He said, placing it in the center of the room. "See? It's perfect. Now where are the lights?"

"Jay's right." Nya said. "We should celebrate Christmas, even if Zane isn't here. Its what he would want us to do."

"Lets get to it!" Jay whooped. "For Zane!"

"For Zane!" they repeated before going about turning the Bounty into a winter wonderland.

They played Christmas music, strung lights, and hung up garlands. They decorated the tree, and they set up a table next to it where they placed pictures of Zane, and while decorating, remincised about the memories they shared. It was incredible how in a couple hours, the Bounty went from cold, dark, and sad to warm, merry, and bright.

When they were done, they admired their work. The lights twinkled, the fire blazed, and the smell of warm chocolate wafted through the air.

"We did great…" Lloyd said.

"Heck yeah we did." Kai agreed.

"Anyone want hot chocolate?" Nya asked, pulling mugs from the cupboard. "I just made a fresh pot."

Everyone helped themselves and sat on the couch around the fire and the tree. When Nya came to sit down, she was carrying two mugs.

"Who's that for?" Jay asked. Nya was quiet as she walked over to the tree, and they watched her place a mug of hot chocolate next to Zane's picture.

It was a bittersweet moment. Bitter because he wasn't here, and there was no assurance that he ever would be again. Sweet because they still had something to remember him by, and tonight they could feel his presence.

"Merry Christmas, Zane." Nya whispered, her eyes getting damp. "Wherever you are…"

"What is all this?"

The ninja jumped and spun around to find Sensei Wu standing in the hallway.

"Sensei, we decided to celebrate Christmas after all. For Zane." Kai explained.

"Jay made a good point that we should be happy this holiday season, because Zane would want us to." Cole added.

Sensei nodded. "I see. It was a very good idea, you five did wonderfully."

"Thank you, Sensei." They said in unision.

They spent the rest of the night continuing sharing memories they had about Zane, a night that would have been dark and woeful was now one filled with laughter and joy.

…

"I'm sure they're okay, Zane." Hailey said, patting him reassuringly.

"I hope so…"

"Hey, this may sound like a strange question, but what do they look like?"

Zane pulled up an image of all of them together from his memory cache, and projected it on the wall using his eyes. It was the picture of when Lloyd defeated the Overlord in the Final Battle.

"Oh, cool!" Hailey said. Discreetly she pulled her phone from her pocket and snapped a picture. "They seem like really nice people."

"They are…" Zane sighed. "I miss them…"

"Daww, I know. If you need someone to talk to you can always come to me, okay?"

Zane nodded solemnly.

"Okay." Hailey said. "It's getting late, Zane. You must be tired."

"I suppose. I will see you tommorow then…"

"Merry Christmas Zane."

"Merry Christmas, Hailey."

When Zane's door clicked shut, Hailey rushed upstairs to her room and got out her sketchbook and colored pencils.

"He better like this…" she muttered as she pulled out her phone and began to draw.

…

"Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!" Hailey said walking down the stairs.

"Merry Christmas." Zane and Samuel greeted her.

Samuel grabbed a gift from the tree and threw it at her.

"Ay foo! Watch it!" Hailey yelled as she caught the present which hit her in the face as he laughed.

Zane watched and couldn't help but sigh, He had trouble sleeping the last night because he couldn't stop thinking about the other ninja and everyone else back home.

He watched Samuel and Hailey unwrap their presents. Hailey got a new hunting rifle, pants, and a breast collar for Ranger. Samuel got a new pair of work boots.

Hailey went behind the tree and pulled out the last gift. She stood up and cleared her throat.

"Zane, we just want to say that we're glad to have you here with us. It may not be on the best circumstances, but we believe everything happens for a reason, but we couldn't be more grateful for you."

Zane smiled, touched at the sentiment. "Thank you, Hailey and Samuel. I am grateful that I get to spend the holidays with you."

"This is for you." Hailey said, handing Zane a present, wrapped in blue paper with white snowflakes and a silver bow. Zane chuckled at the small attention to detail.

"I see you wrapped my gift with my powers in mind?"

"Uh-huh." Hailey nodded eagerly. "Hurry up and open it!"

Zane peeled back the wrapping paper. It was a picture frame, but there was a note covering what it held. He picked it up. It read:

"Zane,

We're sorry that you have to spend this year away from your family in Ninjago. We know how much they mean to you and that being away is hard on them as well as yourself. Even though we try to make you feel as welcomed as possible, we know that there is no place like home for the holidays and can't fully replace what you miss. They say that when you're homesick, having a picture of those you love can help. Even though this won't fully replace what you wish for this holiday season, its the best we can do.

Zane, we may not be from Ninjago or have elemental powers, but that doesn't change how we feel about you. You are truly an amazing person with the biggest heart and courage anyone has ever known. When the time comes that you return to the North, just remember that if for any reason you find yourself in need or alone, you can always count on us to welcome you back with an open door and open arms. Because no matter what, you will always be known to us as a member of the Rangston family.

With love,

Hailey and Samuel"

Zane felt his eyes getting wet.

"T-thank you…" he sniffed. "I never knew you saw me this way…"

"But wait, there's more!" Hailey said. "Look!"

Zane looked down at the picture frame. He gasped.

"Oh…" He said.

It was the same picture he had shown Hailey last night, except it was hand drawn with colored pencils.

"It's to put in your room." Hailey explained. "So in some way you can still have your brothers with you, even while you're here."

"Thank you..it's beautiful... " He whispered, feeling like he was about to cry. Just when he thought these people couldn't be any better to him, they never failed to suprise him.

As he rushed to hug both Hailey and Samuel, he felt... happy. Not just a quick feeling of happiness, but the one that made your heart glow. He realized that he was their family. It may not be the one in Ninjago, but a family that loved him regardless. You know what they say, home is where the heart is. And in that moment, his heart was here, with the people that took him in and showed how much he meant to them.

All this time, he had been longing for a family to spend Christmas with. And now he saw that they were right here all along.

So when all the aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins came, when he helped the little ones decorate his sugar cookies, when Hailey played Christmas songs on her guitar for everyone, when they all said grace before sitting down to enjoy the feast that had been brought, and when Jeff got drunk on eggnog and wound up asleep on the porch, Zane of course kept his brothers in his mind but relished every moment, because this was the family he was spending Christmas with. And he couldn't ask for anything more.

When the night was over, Zane stepped out onto the porch for some fresh air. As he watched the snowflakes fall, he felt at peace.

He missed Ninjago. There was no denying it. There wasn't a day he didn't think about the other ninja, and longed to see them again.

But at the same time, tonight his heart was here. In Mt. Horn. With the Rangston family. He was so thankful for the holiday he spent with them, memories were made that he would hold dear to his heart for years to come. He wouldn't have it any other way Home is where the heart is.

And there is no place like home for the holidays.

**Please leave a review, I love reading your thoughts and feedback! Thank you! RealtreeGal signing off!**


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